$36,000 Trailblazer Scholarship

We are currently not accepting Trailblazer Scholarship applications for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Lead the Way in Counseling Ministry

Regent University’s School of Psychology & Counseling is offering a $36,000 Trailblazer Scholarship to new students in the Ph.D. in Counseling & Psychological Studies program. The scholarship will provide full tuition for the 3-year program – an amount valued at $36,000 – to three new students who begin the Ph.D. program each fall semester. The scholarship will be awarded to three applicants with a clear counseling ministries vision and implementation plan.

Apply for the $36,000 Trailblazer Scholarship

Step 1: Apply to Regent University. Complete the application for the Ph.D. in Counseling & Psychological Studies program.
(Before moving onto Step 2, you must receive an acceptance decision to the Counseling & Psychological Studies program.)

Step 2: Apply for the $36,000 Trailblazer Scholarship. Gather the following documents in one cloud-based account of your choice (example: DropBox).

• Transcripts: Submit your unofficial transcripts.
• Resumé: Include a PDF copy of your current resumé. Include all pertinent information that would support your application.
• Statement of Faith: Write a 1-page statement of faith that expresses your theological beliefs and current worldview as it relates to your faith. Be specific.
• Personal Essay: Write a short personal essay (3-5 pages) introducing yourself:
  • Who you are and where you reside
  • A bit about your strength and weaknesses and your personality
  • Your current and past ministry and/or business experiences
  • Your goals and reasons why you should receive the scholarship
  • Include a list of leadership experiences that could prove useful in your business or ministry plan

• One Academic Reference Letter: From a professor or dean at a college you attend or have attended.
• One Pastoral Reference Letter: From a pastor at a church you attend or have attended.
• Business Plan or Ministry Plan: Write a 1-page short sketch of a potential business or ministry plan including the region you aim to impact and details as to how your vision could be carried out. For example, you could include:
  • Structure of your existing or proposed organization that would be the framework to carry out your vision. Examples include:
    • Working with a particular mission organization
    • Starting a new business
    • Starting a new non-profit para-church ministry
    • Creating a church partnership
    • Joining other existing efforts
    • Working on your own
  • One paragraph on key planning elements before launching your plan.
  • One paragraph on what you might need to focus on in your first year of implementing your plan.
  • A basic projected cost structure on how your plan would flourish and be sustainable.
  • If you do not have all the details yet, write down what you know up to this point. We do want to hear your existing ideas.

Next Steps

If selected, may be requested to present your ministry and vision plan to the committee. If requested, your interaction with the committee will allow for follow-up and clarification questions. This phase is intended to better understand you and the impact of your plan.

We are currently not accepting Trailblazer Scholarship applications for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Scholarship recipients will receive an acceptance email and an accountability plan that you must sign in order to embark on the Trailblazer scholarship journey. Contact Dr. Michelle Boone-Thornton at michth4@regent.edu if you have any questions regarding the scholarship.

Terms & Conditions

• $36,000 award will be credited towards tuition over three (3) years. Books and fees are not included.

• Candidates for the $36,000 Trailblazer Scholarship must have been accepted and admitted as Ph.D. in Counseling & Psychological Studies students or be currently enrolled as 1^st semester students in the CPS Ph.D. program at Regent University.

• If an applicant is selected and awarded as a scholarship recipient, tuition will be paid automatically via Regent University’s business office to be applied toward the tuition expenses for each semester for selected students.

• Scholarship recipients are expected to remain in good standing for the full scholarship term. Each recipient will be reviewed each semester and must be found in good standing of all criteria listed above. A scholarship or fellowship recipient who fails to continue to meet the criteria of criteria outlined, can lose the scholarship as determined solely by the scholarship committee.

• A Student Applicant must:
  • Hold GPA of 3.5 – 4.0 or higher
  • Be able to pass a full background check
  • Have exceptional written and oral communication skills
  • Be able to present and formulate a ministry/business impact plan, including church/mental health and technology aspects
  • Align with Regent University’s statement of faith
  • Have strong supporting references indicating ministry alignment, personal, academic and professional alignment with the scholarship vision

• Submit all application documents with one cloud link (once all your documents are in place). Do not send multiple emails.

• Make sure that each document that is part of your application is saved containing your full name and the document’s content (e.g.: Albert Einstein – Ministry Plan).

• The deadline is firm. Please give yourself a little buffer to submit your application.